Resilient wheel.



0. PIRTLE.

I RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED IQEG. 6, 1912. 1 1 39 762 I Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

e SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES 11v VEN TOR.

E y :2 J m I 42 y; TTORNEY. I

U. PIRTLE.

'RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1912.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

WITNESSES INVEN 70R.

By Ci f I I 7L A TTORNEY.

G. PIRTLE.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 6, 1912.

Patented M21119, 1915.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

WITNESSES L VVENTOR.

fay am I By GAE/w @JVJQ 4/4 ATTORNEY.

V G. PIRTLE.

RESILIBNT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED p20. 6, 1912.

K m m M own N R L m m av fir Mm f .A mm m n O m wf/r a P WITNESSES {bywCLAIBORNE PIRTL E, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915..

Application filed December 6, 1912. Serial No. 735,219}

To all whom it ma concern: 1

Be it known t at I, CLAIBORNE 'PIR'rLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahogaand State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to vehicle wheels designed to protectthe axle and the parts carried therebyfrom shock and vibration, but itmay be applied to other. uses where resilient wheelsare desirable.

The objects of this invention are to provide a resilient wheel thatprotectsthe axle about which it rotates from shock and vibration, thatgives a rapidly increasing opposolid or rigid wheel, that may have thetire,-

tread, or outer circumference portion easily applied or renewed, andthat supplies all, the working parts automatically with abundantlubrication.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention Figure 1 is aside elevation of the wheel with portions cut away so as to show all theparts; Fig.- 2, a

section on the line A. B. C. D. in Fig. 1, and

an elevation of the upper half of the wheel, and Fig. 8, one of thelarge cleats for converting the wheel into a solid or rigid wheel.

Figs. 4, 6, 8, and 10 are side elevations of four modifications: of myinvention, parts being broken away" to show the internal construction.Figs. 5, 7, and 9 are edge views of the wheels shown in Figs. 4, 6, and8, the

lower half of each wheel being shown; in vertical central section. Fig.11 is a section showing my preferred means for reinforcing the tread ofthe wheels. Fig. 12 is a section of a tread block having thefull widthof the rim and reinforced with metallic facing.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, 1 represents the hub to which thesprings 2 are rigidly secured. The springs 2 are not to be considered asnecessarily double-armed,

but each arm is to be considered as a spring, from the point Eoutwardly. I have shown the springs 2 connected at their inner ends inpairs, each pair being connected by a loop set in a recess in the flangeof the hub 1, a filler 3 occupying that portion of the recess which isincluded in the loop. Annular plates 7 rest against opposite ends of thehubflange and of the fillers 3 and are tightly clamped in place by thenuts 5 on the bolts 6 which pass through the plates 7 and the fillers 3.The pairs of springs 2 extend outwardly from the hub 1 at regulardistances around the edge thereof.

8 represents a continuous circular outer rim to the inner face of whichthe inner rim '9 is secured. The rim 9 is not necessarily continuous. Ithas at regular distances the portions 10 resting against the inner face'of the rim 8, and between consecutive portions 10 the portions 11serving as, compression guides or cam paths for the springs 2. Theguides 11 between consecutive portions 10 are inclined inwardly andtoward each other from the opposing ends of the portions 10,

the inner ends of the guides 11 being joined together by the seat 12 towhich are secured the springs 18, one extending at each side of a radiuspassing through the seat 12-- The springs'13' are shown as parts of acontinuous structure, but I consider each arm thereof lying opposite thecam path 11 adjacent thereto as a spring 13..

The pairs of springs 2 projecting from the same recess in the hub,diverge somewhat at or near the hub to a point where they contact withthe rollers 14 on the outer ends of the springs 13, each of whichextends inwardlytoward the hub and laterally away from a radiusextending through its point of attachment to the seat 12. From thepoints where the pairs of springs 2 contact with a roller 14, theydiverge so that their free ends, or the roller 15 thereon, engage withthe cam paths 11.

The arms 16 have their outer ends pivoted to blocks on the inner face ofthe rim portions 10. The inner ends of the arms 16 are provided eachwith a roller 17 which stands between the members of a pair of springs2.

The wheel is shown with the parts in the positions which they assumewhen there is no load bearing down on the hub 1. If the 3 lower part ofthe rim be displaced by a load,

or other means toward the hub or the latter be displaced toward thelower part of the rim by the rim striking a stone, for example, theouter ends of the springs 2 in the lower portion of the wheel are guidedalong the cam paths 11 in a direction tending to straighten them, ortowardthe arm 16 with which it coiiperates. At the same time any roller17 at the bottom of the wheel will force apart the springs 2, betweenwhich it is situated. The rollers 14 at the sides of the pair of springs2 receive horizontal thrusts and transmit them to contiguous springs 13,the roller 17 acting to transmit thrusts from the spring 2 on one sidethereof to the spring 2 on the other side. The result will be a rapidlyincreasing opposition to the movements of the said rollers and springs.In the upper portion of the wheel the springs 2 and 13 interact to bringeach other into compression or tension independently of the guides 11.At points approximately ninety degrees from the top and bottom of thewheel, the springs 2 will be deflected down nearly at right angles totheir direction from the points E to the rollers 14; and 17. The springs13 will be flexed at the same time. The various springs will havemovement in various directions in response to thrusts on the hub or rimand in the plane of thesvheel. Some of the springs, as those in linewith the direction of thrust, will travel more or less endwise, buttheir movements will be checked by their resistance to change in shapeconsequent upon their co-action with the cam paths 11, the springs 13and the roller 17. Other springs will move more or less at right anglesto the lengths, but their movements will be checked by their resistanceto change in shape and by the action of co-acting springs. Still othersprings will take a more or less compound movement, that is, they willmove somewhat lengthwise and somewhat crosswise, this compound movementbeing checked bythe increasing resistance due to the work required tochange the shape of the springs.

Annular outer cover-plates 18, one at each sidev of the wheel extendfrom the rim 8 toward the hub. They form tight joints with the rim andare spaced apart by interposed sleeves 19, through which and the plates18 the bolts 20 extend. The nuts 21 on the ends of these bolts draw theplates 18 tightly against the edges of the rim and the ends of thesleeves 19, a stop plate or cleat 22 being also on .eaeh end of eachbolt 20 between each nut and the adjacent plate 18.

The centralcover-plates 23 are slid over the ends of the hub and havetheir outer portions overlapping the outer edges of the outercover-plates 18. The outer edges of the plates 23 lie within the circleformed by tion of the plates 22 so that the springs will not be strainedbeyond their elastic limit.

a The cover-plates 23 are slid over the ends of the bolts 6 and drawntoward each other and tightly against the cover-plates 18 by means ofthe nuts 24. The friction between the cover-plates 18 and 23 assists inprotecting the axle from sudden shocks or hammer blows, the frictionincreasing as the plates slide on each other, because the cover-plates23 which normally have their edges dipping into the annular inwardlybent depressions or cam grooves in the'plate 18, are reqilired to ridemore .or less on the outwardly inclined walls of this depressionwhenever the rim and hub are displaced relatively to each other. Thefriction between the cam-plates may be adjusted by means of the nuts 24.

The rim and cover-plates form an oil or grease tight chamber, in whichoil and grease may be placed to provide ample lubrication. The lubricantassists to transfer any heat developed by the action of the springs tothe cover plates for radiation.

By substituting for the stop-plates 22 longer stop-plates which reachfrom the bolts 20 to the edge of the plates 23, the wheel could beconverted into a rigid wheel, which might be temporarily desirable incase any of the working parts became broken or damaged. Fig. 3 shows oneof the longer stop-"plates marked 22. The dotted lines 25 on Fig. 1 showthe position of such a plate in use.

The rim 8 is surrounded by the tread-retaining ring 26 arranged midwaybetween the edges of the rim and preferably provided with annularlateral flanges or fins which bite into the edges of a series oftreadblocks 27 on each side thereof, or the flanges or fins may entergrooves 27' previously made in the blocks. The rings 28 are arranged atthe outer edges of the treadblocks 27 and have flanges or fins whichengage in grooves in the outer sides of the" blocks. Bolts 29 extendhrough the central ring 26, the two lateral rings 28, and the blocks 27.Nuts 30 on the bolts 29 bear against the rings 28 and bind the rings andtread-blocks solidly together. The ring 26 need not be connected to therim 8, because the edges of the rings 28 lie against the edges of therim, as shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 11, I have shown an enlarged section ofa tread-block 27 provided at each side with a. metallic facing'31,whichenters the grooves in the block. The facings 31 prevent the blocks fromsplitting and make them strongerrand less liable to become loose.

thereof which are the same as on Figs. 1

and@ have been given the same reference characters, and parts thereofwhich have structure or function similar to parts on Figs. 1 and 2 havebeen given the same reference characters. to which letters have beenadded. The springs 2 have thesame general shape as the springs 2. Themembers of adjacent pairs of springs are connected together and securedto the hub by the head ed fasteners 32. The cam paths 11 incline thesame as the cam paths 11 from the rim 8 to the rollers 15, at which theytake the di-,

rection of a chord drawn between the hub and the contacting rolls 15,thereby requiring the spring to be put under greater strain, wheneverthe cam path 11 and the rollers 15 have relative travel in eitherdirection. In Fig. l the springs 2 and the cam paths do not cooperate soas to increasethe resist-- ance to movement of any portion of the rimaway from the hub, or of the hub away from any portion of the rim. InFig. 4, the change of direction of each cam path 11 from the roller 15toward the hub causes resistance to the movements last described. Thetwo parts of the cam path include chords which pass on opposite sides ofthe center of the wheel. The arms 16 carrying the rollers 17 are'made ofspring material and are rigidly secured to the rim 8. The arms 16f oiieryielding resistance to any movement tending to bend them, as would bethe case with the a m 16.

In Figs. 6 and 7, the parts are in general as on Figs. 4 and 5. Thesprings 2" are bent at a sharper angle where they contact with therollers 14; the angle in the cam paths 11 is placed relatively nearerthe rim, 7

or about centrally; and the arms l6 are made divergent and have theirrollers 17 in engagement with the springs 2 between the rollers 14 and15. The spring arms 16, not being between the rollers 14, are placedunder compression or strain with any relative movement of the rim andhub, and particularly with any movement of the rollers 11 and 15,relative to the springs 2 and the cam paths 11".

In Figs 8 and 9, the parts are nearly as in Figs. 6 and 7. The arms 16are made of spring material as in Fig. 4. -They support at their outerends the carrier 32 which is between the bends of the pairs of springs 2This carrier supports the tWo rollers 17 which bear against the. springs2 between the rollers 14 and 15, as in Fig. 6, and the two rollers 33which bear against the springs 2 between the hub 1 and the rollers 14.The rollers 17 and 33 place the springs 2 under tension at oppositerelative movements of the hub and rim, as is readily ap parent.

Referring now to Fig. 10, the springs and their guides and theircooperating elements are reversed with respect to the rim and hub fromthe location of the same or analogous parts on the preceding figures.The springs 2 are attached to the rim 8, and the arms 16 are attached tothe hub. The cam paths ll consist of two parts, one, marked 34., being astrip of metal bent to rectangular form and attached to the hub, thesides being parallel and chords lying at opposite sides of the center ofthe hub; the other, marked 35, being a strip'of metal attached to theouter end of the part 34 and having its ends bent toward the rim wherethe sides of the part 34 meet the part 35. The rollers 15 lie normallyin the angles between the parts 3% and 35 of the cam path 11, just asthe rollers 15 of the springs 2 lie in the angles in the cam paths 11and 11".

I claim- 1. In a vehicle wheel, a hub member, a rim member, cam pathsattached to one member and having inclinations at an angle to theradius, springs attached to the other member and having cam pathsthereon, the ends of the springs riding lengthwise of the first campaths, and springs connected. to one of the members and cobperating withthe cam paths on the first springs.

2. In a vehicle wheel, a hub member, a rim member, double cam pathsattached to one member. and having inclinations at an other member andhaving double cam paths meeting at an angle less than 180, the springsriding lengthwise of the first cam paths, andsprings connected to one ofthe .members and cooperating with the cams on the first springs.

3. In a vehicle wheel, a hubrmember, a rim member, double c'am pathsattached to one member, springs attached to the other member and havingdouble cam paths meetmg at an angle less than 180, the springs ridinglengthwise of'the first cam paths, and other springs connected to one ofthe members and cooperating with both cam paths within the angle formedby their meeting.

4. In a vehicle wheel, ahub member, a. rim member, cam paths attached toone member, each cam path having a bend from which its parts lie inchords drawn at opposite sides of the center of the Wheel, springsattached to the other member and having their ends normally in the bendsof the cam paths and provided with cam paths, each having a transversebend, and springs attached to one of the members and having their endsnormally at the bends of the cam paths in the springs.

5. In a vehicle wheel, a hub member, a rim member, a spring attached toonememher, and having a transverse bend therein, a

I the bend in the spring, in which bend the end of the spring normallyrests, and a spring bearing on the first spring at the inside of thebend, whereby both springs are 1 witgessfisz 6 placed under increasedtension when the hub i or rim moves approximately in radial linesthrough the said bends.

Signed at Cleveland, Ohio,

of November, 1912.

B Dre 7 MCBR- this 25th day CLAIBORNE PIRTLE.

